As of December 17, 2024, MN8 Energy announced that it will own and operate the 135MWac Prairie Solar project in Champaign County, Illinois, which includes 50MWac of capacity dedicated to the City of Cambridge’s groundbreaking virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA). [1] The project will support the largest VPPA ever undertaken by a US city. The City of Cambridge’s 50MWac portion will generate 113,000 MWh of clean energy annually, enough to cover the average electricity consumption of over 25,000 households in Cambridge. Boston-based Sustainability Roundtable, Inc. facilitated the City of Cambridge’s transaction through their Net Zero Consortium for Buyers (NZCB). The NCZB is a buyer’s community for utility-scale clean energy. The project is located on the MISO grid, where only 32% of energy comes from low-carbon sources. This means it will deliver 2.6 times the emissions reductions compared to equivalent solar generation in Massachusetts. The project is expected to achieve commercial operation by 2026. Cambridge’s 50MWac portion is expected to avoid 70,510 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually by replacing fossil fuel generation.
[USA] US Department of Energy completes LNG study update, announces 60-day comment period
As of December 17, 2024, the US Department of Energy (DOE) released an updated study of US liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. [1] The study came about because the DOE was given responsibility by Congress via the Natural Gas Act to evaluate the public interest of proposed exports to countries with which the US does not have a Free Trade Agreement. The study will have a 60-day comment period set to begin once published in the Federal Register. The public may submit comments to inform how DOE may apply the study’s findings to its public interest analysis of export applications going forward. In addition to the study release, US Energy Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm released a Secretarial Statement outlining departmental leadership’s perspective on the final version of the study. Given the fact that the US is the largest exporter of LNG in the world and will remain the top exporter by 2030, DOE leadership recognized the need for a comprehensive update to ensure the most updated analysis possible of the market, national security, economic, and environmental considerations of different potential volumes of US LNG exports.
[Japan] Kansai inked agreement with Iberdola for an offshore wind farm project in Germany
As of December 13, 2024, Japan’s Kansai Electric Power Co. has taken a 49% stake in Iberdrola’s Windanker offshore wind project in Germany, expanding its partnership with the Spanish renewable energy giant. [1] The wind farm will have an installed capacity of 315 MW and start operating by 2026. The project marks Kansai’s 5th offshore wind farm participation overseas and involves the installation of 21 bottom-fixed offshore wind turbines. The acquisition brings Kansai’s net capacity of overseas generation to 3,007 MW. Kansai aims to collaborate with Iberdrola on more overseas projects in various fields, such as renewable energy, since it is one of the leading energy companies in the renewable energy sector. Kansai’s goal is to use the experience from the project to expand offshore wind power projects in Japan and contribute to a future zero-carbon society.
[1] https://www.kepco.co.jp/english/corporate/pr/2024/pdf/dec13_1.pdf
[Japan] Nuclear reactor at Shimane plant restarts for first time since 2012
As of December 7, 2024, a nuclear reactor in Shimane Prefecture in western Japan has restarted for the first time in 13 years. [1] It is the 14th reactor to be reactivated after meeting Japan’s new requirements that were introduced after the Fukushima Daiichi plant meltdowns. The Chugoku Electric Power Company suspended operations of the No. 2 reactor at the Shimane nuclear power plant in 2012 for regular inspections. The unit passed the Nuclear Regulation Authority’s screening in 2021. Chugoku Electric completed construction work in October and finished putting in nuclear fuel in November. The utility stated that the reactor reached a self-sustaining chain reaction two hours after the restart, and power generation will commence later in the month. Commercial operations are expected to resume in early January. The Shimane complex in Matsue City is the only nuclear power plant in a Japanese prefectural capital.
[1] https://www.energia.co.jp/atom_info/assets/20241207a_5.pdf
[USA] PSE&G to pay $6.6M for inaccurately reporting need for local PJM transmission project
As of December 6, 2024, Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) agreed to pay $6.6 million to settle allegations that it gave the PJM Interconnection misleading information about a $546 million transmission project. [1] This was during the grid operator’s Regional Transmission Expansion plan process, according to the settlement approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC enforcement staff found that PSE&G violated agency rules requiring market participants to provide “accurate and factual information” about the state of power line towers in communications with agency-approved regional transmission organizations. The settlement agreement centers on a $546 million project PSE&G, a Public Service Enterprise Group subsidiary, recommended to PJM in 2017 to replace a transmission line in New Jersey.
[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_number=20241205-3039&optimized=false
[USA] Five-year US load growth forecast surges 456% to 128 GW
As of December 6, 2024, A report by consulting firm Grid Strategies found that US electricity demand could rise 128 GW over the next five years, driven by data centers and manufacturing growth, mainly in six regions. [1] The estimate represents a five-fold increase in load growth forecasts over the past two years. The estimates are based on annual planning reports submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission by electric balancing authorities, with updates from utilities and planning regions. FERC Form 714 in 2022 estimated a five-year peak load growth of about 23 GW. A review of utility planning documents indicated that 61 GW could be added to FERC’s 2024 five-year estimates. According to the report, an additional 61 GW of growth means nationwide electric demand is forecast to increase by 15.8% by 2029. Texas added 37 GW to its 2029 forecast, resulting in an updated forecast of 43 GW through 2029. The report also noted that PJM’s 2029 peak load forecast increased from 153.3 GW to 165.7 GW – an 8.1% increase in two years. However, PJM utilities have increased their projections of large load additions for 2029 from 15 GW to 30 GW.
[1] https://gridstrategiesllc.com/wp-content/uploads/National-Load-Growth-Report-2024.pdf
[USA] Small volumes of renewable diesel are now consumed on the U.S. East Coast
As of December 3, 2024, the US Energy Information Administration noted that the US East Coast became a recurring destination for small volumes of renewable diesel as a few suppliers began offering or consuming it. [1] Since it is not produced on the East Coast, suppliers and local governments are procuring their supply from imports and interregional US shipments. Renewable diesel is used for transportation and heating as a chemical equivalent to petroleum-based distillate, and it is produced using fats, oils, and greases rather than petroleum. It is primarily consumed on the West Coast because California, Oregon, and Washington are the only states with active clean fuel programs. However, small volumes of renewable diesel are now being consumed in other regions like the East Coast. In each of the five recent months with historical data (May – September), consumption of renewable diesel has superseded the previous record high, ranging from 5,000 barrels per day (b/d) to 7,000 b/d. The increase in the consumption of this fuel in the East Coast is attributable to certain suppliers and local governments, including Sprague, Neste, and Global Partners.
[Japan] Japan’s first commercial use of electricity generated with hydrogen-fired zero-emissions thermal
As of November 29, 2024, Toho Co., Ltd. And JERA Co., Inc. are pursuing efforts to eliminate CO2 emissions from electricity consumed at Toho Studios, Japan’s largest movie studio. [1] JERA has begun supplying hydrogen-generated power to Toho Studios through its subsidiary JERA Cross. This is Japan’s first commercial use of electricity generated with hydrogen-fired zero-emissions thermal. JERA has been moving forward with the construction of an on-site hydrogen power generation facility at Sodegaura Thermal Power Station in Chiba. With the recent conclusion of construction and testing, JERA Cross has begun supplying off-site electricity to Toho Studios, where commercial use of electricity generated with hydrogen-fired zero-emission thermal began on November 29, 2024. Toho Studios has also introduced electricity sourced from JERA solar power generation facilities and aims to supply all its electricity needs with 24/7 carbon-free energy going forward.
[1] https://www.jera.co.jp/en/news/information/20241129_2071
[USA] LPO announces conditional commitment to StarPlus Energy to construct lithium-ion battery factories in Indiana
As of December 2, 2024, the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) announced a conditional commitment for a loan of $7.54 billion to StarPlus Energy LLC to finance up to two lithium-ion battery cell and module manufacturing plants in Kokomo, Indiana. [1] The borrower is a joint venture between FCA US LLC (a subsidiary of Stellantis N.V.) and Samsung SDI Co. Ltd. The output from the facilities will be sold to Stellantis for use in electric vehicle models that will be sold in North America, with the goal of ensuring that the US can meet domestic demand and maintain its leadership in the electric vehicle industry. At full capacity, the StarPlus project will produce 67GWh of batteries, enough to supply 670,000 vehicles annually. The DOE estimates that the EVs produced using StarPlus batteries will displace the usage of 260.3 million gallons of petroleum per year.
The project is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda to onshore and re-shore domestic manufacturing technologies. If finalized, the loan would be offered through the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program, which provides loans to support US manufacturing of advanced technology vehicles, qualifying components, and materials that improve fuel economy.
[USA] I&M and stakeholders file large load settlement to advance grid reliability and support economic growth
As of November 22, 2024, Indiana Michigan Power, an American Electric Power (AEP) utility, filed a joint settlement with the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC), Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, the Citizens Action Coalition (CAC), and the Data Center Coalition, outlining the terms for connecting new large loads to the grid. [1] The settlement with the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission requires new large-load customers, such as data centers, to make long-term financial commitments to ensure they pay for the costs to serve them and that those costs are not passed on to existing customers.
The agreement comes amid rapid data center development in Northern Indiana. Amazon Web Services made progress on an $11 billion data center campus near New Carlisle, Indiana, and Google was building a $2 billion data center in Fort Wayne. The settlement recognizes the energy needs of new large customers and proposes additional commitments that the customers must meet when establishing electric service. Furthermore, the companies that are signatories to the joint settlement – AWS, Microsoft, and Google – have each agreed to provide an annual contribution of $500,00 for five years to the Indiana Community Action Association.
[Japan] Nimbus and Toshiba announce joint development of next-generation pure hydrogen fuel cell stack
As of November 21, 2024, Nimbus Power Systems (Groton, Connecticut, USA) and Toshiba Energy Systems and Solutions Corporation (Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan) have signed a joint development agreement for a next-generation pure hydrogen fuel cell stack. [1] It is applicable to various mobility applications, like buses and trucks, as well as stationary uses. Under the agreement, Nimbus will combine its “four-fluid stack technology” with Toshiba’s “fuel cell commercialization and mass production technology” to jointly develop the pure hydrogen fuel cell stack. Nimbus has fuel cell technology aimed at large mobility applications. The “four-fluid stack technology” combines porous and metal separators to supply four fluids: hydrogen, air, pure water, and antifreeze, enabling stable operation at high output. Meanwhile, Toshiba has experience manufacturing fuel cells and possesses commercialization and mass production capabilities using porous separators. Nimbus and Toshiba aim to contribute to the expansion of the hydrogen value chain and decarbonization.
[1] https://www.global.toshiba/ww/news/energy/2024/11/news-20241121-01.html
[USA] EPA report shows US fuel economy hits record high and CO2 emissions reach a record low
As of November 25, 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency released its 50th annual Automotive Trends Report, showing that model year 2023 vehicle fuel economy reached a record high while greenhouse gas emissions dropped to record low levels. [1] The report shows that all 14 large automotive manufacturers complied with EPA’s light-duty GHG program requirements through the MY 2023 reporting period. New MY 2023 electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on the road have led to 11% lower CO2 emissions. The fuel economy has improved from 13.1 miles per gallon in MY 1975 to 27.1 mpg for MY 2023 vehicles. However, passenger cars and light trucks still accounted for 17% of total US GHG emissions in 2022.
In MY 2023, the combined category of battery-electric vehicles, PHEVs, and fuel cell vehicles rose from 6.7% of production in MY 2022 to 11.5% of production in MY 2023. They are projected to reach 14.8% of production in model year 2024. This trend will likely continue as EV production is expected to grow across the industry in the next few years.
[USA] Governor Abbott, PUCT release Texas advanced nuclear reactor working group report
As of November 18, 2024, Governor Greg Abbott and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) announced the release of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group’s final report on Texas’ plan to build a world-class nuclear power industry to enhance reliability and energy security. [1] The plan includes seven major recommendations, starting with creating a new state authority to oversee nuclear development. A single point of contact will be established to help companies navigate the complex permitting process. There will also be significant investment planned in manufacturing and supply chain, sponsored by new funding programs that help companies transition to nuclear component production. Governor Abbott states that by utilizing advanced nuclear energy, Texas will enhance the reliability of the state grid and produce affordable power to Texans state-wide.
[USA] Biden-Harris Administration awards $2.2 Billion to accelerate regional clean hydrogen hubs
As of November 20, 2024, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $2.2 billion in award commitments for two Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) that will accelerate commercial-scale deployment of low-cost, clean hydrogen. [1] The two awardees – Gulf Coast H2Hub and Midwest H2Hub – are critical pillars of the program. DOE is committing $1.2 billion of federal cost share for the Gulf Coast Hydrogen Hub and up to $1 billion of the federal cost share for the Midwest Hydrogen Hub. These awards follow three previously awarded H2Hubs and will collectively drive private-sector investment in clean hydrogen.
Clean hydrogen is a flexible carrier that can be produced from a wide range of domestic energy resources, such as renewables, nuclear, and fossil resources with carbon capture. Its unique characteristics enable the hubs to reduce harmful emissions from energy-intensive sectors like chemical and industrial processes, and heavy-duty transportation. The seven selected hubs are expected to collectively produce millions of metric tons of hydrogen annually.
[JPN] MOL, KEPCO sign MoU for joint study of liquefied hydrogen carrier
As of November 19, 2024, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL) and the Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the joint study of a liquefied hydrogen carrier. [1] This is the first such agreement between a shipping company and a power generation company in Japan regarding marine transport of liquefied hydrogen. The companies will conduct a detailed review of the optimal vessels and operations in the liquefied hydrogen supply chain and their safety. They will also analyze international laws and regulations related to the marine transport of liquefied hydrogen. MOL and KEPCO will continue to study the specifics of marine transport of liquefied hydrogen and work toward the establishment of a hydrogen supply chain and realization of a zero-carbon society.
[USA] NASA Stennis Secures Grant for Clean Energy Project
As of November 14, 2024, NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was awarded a competitive US Department of Energy grant to transform its main administration building into a facility that produces as much renewable energy as it uses. [1] NASA Stennis will receive $1.95 million through the Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) Program, which will fund installation of a four-acre solar panel array onsite that can generate up to 1 megawatt of electricity. The AFFECT Program awards grants to enable the federal government to achieve its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions of all federal buildings by 2045. Over $1 billion in funding proposals was requested by federal agencies for the second and final phase of the initiative. Subsequently, a total of $149.87 million was awarded for 67 conservation and clean energy projects at federal facilities across 28 states and territories, and 6 international locations.
[1] https://nasa.gov/news-release/stennis-secures-grant-for-clean-energy-project/
[World] Forecasting the impacts on global electricity supply and sustainability
As of November 8, 2024, a research paper from Loughborough University in England warns that global renewable electricity supply will be unable to meet demand from digital data by 2025. [1] The research forecasts that based on current projections, global electricity supply will be unable to meet demand from digital data within the next decade. Furthermore, if data consumption continues unabated, electricity demand driven by data could exceed global electricity production by 2033. Data centers are estimated to contain 65% of dark data, or digital knowledge assets that are used once and then discarded. The research underlines the need for a data-centric sustainability approach across all supply chains, sectors, industries, and nations, according to researcher Dr. Vitor Castro. He asserts that such measures are crucial to increase efficiency, cut energy usage, and transition towards a more decarbonized digital ecosystem.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421524004245
[USA] US Department of Energy announces $7 million to advance high-performance computing for energy innovation
As of November 14, 2024, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $4 million federal investment in 10 projects across 8 states that will harness the processing power of the world’s most powerful supercomputers in order to solve the most complex manufacturing challenges and strengthen American manufacturing. [1] Within the DOE’s High-Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) initiative, the selected teams will use advanced modeling, simulation, and data analysis to projects that enhance manufacturing efficiency, lower industrial emissions, and explore the use of new materials and processes for clean energy applications. Under the HPC4EI initiative are the High-Performance Computing for Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) and High-Performance Computing for Materials (HPC4Mtls) programs. The former aims to help manufacturers streamline processes, increase productivity, and lower their carbon footprint. The latter focuses on developing materials that perform well in harsh environments. Both programs serve to leverage high-computing technology to help companies improve performance, increase efficiency, and achieve cost savings.
[USA] FERC rejects interconnection pact for Talen-Amazon data center deal at nuclear plant
As of November 4, 2024, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) rejected an amended interconnection service agreement (ISA) that would have enabled expanded power sales to a co-located Amazon data center from a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, which is majority-owned by Talen Energy. [1] The vote was 2-1, with FERC commissioners Mark Christie and Lindsay See in the majority. The agency found that PJM Interconnection’s amended ISA failed to show that provisions in the agreement that contravene the grid operator’s existing ISA were needed due to “specific reliability concerns, novel legal issues, or other factors.” In dissent, FERC Chairman Willie Phillips stated that the decision threatened national security and grid reliability. The other two FERC commissioners, David Rosner and Judy Chang did not participate in the case. The decision surprised investors and caused a sharp negative share response for companies that own nuclear power plants that could serve data centers. The decision comes at a time when data center companies are exploring co-locating their facilities at existing power plants.
[1] https://elibrary.ferc.gov/eLibrary/filelist?accession_number=20241101-3061&optimized=false
[USA] DOE Announces $11M in high voltage direct current transmission projects
As of November 4, 2024, the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced selections for four new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission research and development projects that will affordably integrate renewable energy generation onto the grid via HVDC lines. [1] The program, called the Innovative Designs for high-performAnce Low-cost HVDC Converters (IDEAL HVDC), will also reduce transmission system costs by 35 percent by 2035. OE is providing $8.1 million in funding while EERE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office is providing $3 million. The projects aim to reinvent the power grid, which serves as an interstate highway for high-voltage electricity. HVDC transmission systems are more efficient than traditional alternating current (AC) transmission system, both in terms of cost and power. Furthermore, many renewable generation resources are in remote locations and HVDC transmission provides a cost-effective solution for renewable integration onto the grid. The selected IDEAL HVAC projects include: GE Vernova Advanced Research, Sandia National Laboratories, University of Pittsburgh, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.